Condition-based monitoring is an essential component of predictive maintenance, recording changes in equipment that could lead to a fault. This is necessary across a wide range of industries, including manufacturing, mining, infrastructure, utilities and water.

With the advent of the Internet of Things (IoT), the measurable condition(s) of a machine can now be monitored continuously and in real time through a combination of connected devices and sensors, data networks, cloud storage and Big Data processing. All of these components work together to analyse data, which is easily communicated to the operator.

Without harnessing IoT solutions, data transportation can become a significant issue. According to Jas Singh, Systems and Solutions Manager at ifm efector, approximately 95 per cent of the data produced by sensors and other devices is unutilised or lost. For this reason, ifm has developed its Line Recorder series, which acts as a gateway to the IoT through a range of solutions for machine analytics, predictive maintenance and condition-based monitoring.

For condition-based monitoring in particular, ifm has developed SmartObserver, a software that provides an interface for users to undertake real-time maintenance (RTM). Within this RTM system, the customer can view both live and historical data, and perform data analytics. Potential applications for this software are endless; from conducting vibration monitoring on fans in a tunnel or centrifuge pumps on wind turbines, to monitoring truck driver fatigue, fuel levels and speeds.

One unique feature of SmartObserver is that it allows the user to remotely interact with their machines. This is made possible through an alarm management feature, where the user can receive an SMS, with the ability to acknowledge a particular alarm through text. What’s more, SmartObserver offers users the ability to interface to multiple devices, whether they be legacy devices or the latest device on the market.

Potential benefits for industry include:

Timely identification of possible damage or production stoppages, resulting in more efficient production and quality assurance